Hurricane Loyd (2010)
Loyd was the twelfth named storm, sixth hurricane, and third major hurricane of the 2010 Biolixi Ocean hurricane season. Loyd's duration was between August 18 and August 28. Loyd had a peak intensity of 155 mph winds and minimum pressure of 927 mbar. Loyd was a very powerful hurricane that struck the Northern Biolixi Island as a category 1 hurricane, causing widespread damage. Loyd formed from a tropical wave that developed off the coast of Southwest. The wave moved to the east and became Tropical Depression Twelve on August 18. Twelve became Tropical Storm Loyd then next day. After becoming a tropical storm, Loyd quickly intensified into a hurricane and made landfall near Washington City on the Northern Biolixi Island. Loyd then weakened after moving inland causing widespread flooding. Loyd then moved back out to sea and began to slowly intensify. Loyd gained its peak intensity on August 26, with 155 mph winds. Loyd then curved to the northwest and rapidly weakened. The National Hurricane Center originally expected a category 5 hurricane from Loyd, but remained a category 4 hurricane. oyd caused an estimated 850 million simoleons in damage to the Northern Biolixi Island. Loyd also caused 10 deaths. Meteorological History On August 16, a tropical wave developed off the coast of Southwest. The wave tracked to the east towards the Northern Biolixi Island and quickly began to show signs of organisation. The tropical wave quickly strengthened into Tropical Depression Twelve on the early morning hours of August 18. Twelve stayed a tropical depression for a steady amount of time, this made the National Hurricane Center confused because of the fact that it was in a very favorable environment; Twelve was expected to intensify as the week progressed. On August 19, Twelve developed into Tropical Storm Loyd with 50 mph winds and was now beginning to curve to the east-northeast. Systems that typically form in the area where Loyd was, usually begin to access that curving flow to the north and then the west. Since Loyd was a little lower than normal systems and was beginning to curve, this brought some concern to the citizens of the Northern Biolixi Island because storms that curve end up being intense. On August 20, Loyd became a category 1 hurricane with 90 mph winds and made landfall during the afternoon hours. Even though Loyd packed a punch to the island, citizens were a little relieved that Loyd didn't intensify into something stronger like they anticipated. After making landfall Loyd weakened into a tropical storm and then moved back out into open water where it began to intensify on August 21 to the 22. Immediately after moving over open waters, Loyd began to rapidly intensify. Loyd had a forecast of possibly becoming a category 5 hurricane as the week progressed. On August 23 to 24, Loyd strengthened into a category 2, then a 3. On August 25, Loyd became a category 4 hurricane and was still expected to intensify as it continued to curve to the northwest. During the evening hours of August 26, the time that the National Hurricane Center predicted a category 5 hurricane , Loyd gained its peak intensity with 155 mph winds, just below category 5 hurricane status, and minimum pressure of 927 mbar. Afterwards, Loyd remained a category 4 hurricane and then began to rapidly weaken starting on later in the day on August 26. Loyd rapidly weakened as it merged with dry air and colder waters and then dissipated on August 28. Loyd caused an estimated 850 million simoleons in damage and 10 fatalities in the Northern Biolixi Island. Preparation and Impact Northern Biolixi Island The Northern Biolixi Island was the only land mass to be affected by Loyd. Preparation was minimal despite that it was only a category 1 hurricane. Due to Loyd's size, the Northern Biolixi Island Governor issued extreme preparation, and to treat it as if it were a major hurricane. Even with extreme preparations, may didn't heed the warning and didn't prepare for the storm a all, which is the main cause for most of the damage in the area. After becoming a category 1 hurricane, Loyd made landfall with 85 mph winds near the city of Washington City. Widespread flooding and wind damage were reported all across the island. Several areas recorded up to 10+ inches of rain. Due to Loyd's size, impacts were much worse than a normal category 1 hurricane, so damage and death totals were much higher than forecast. After Loyd had left the island, damage was very widespread and emergency officials searched throughout the entire island for survivors, and damage. Loyd eroded almost 17% of Washington City's public beaches, which is a record in that area for beach erosion in a such a small amount of time. Even at peak intensity, Loyd caused dangerous rip currents that took three lives of swimmers on the northeast coast of the island. Loyd's totals in all were 850 million simoleons in damage and 10 deaths. See also *Hurricane Fred *2010 Biolixi Ocean hurricane season Category:Storms Category:Category 4 Hurricane